Upper Wharfedale School

UPPER WHARFEDALE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th – 28 th March 2001

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UPPER WHARFEDALE SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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UPPER WHARFEDALE SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Upper Wharfedale School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wharfeside Avenue Threshfield Skipton North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. Steve Oxby

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 th November 1996 Upper Wharfedale School - 4

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Team members

Terry Parish Registered inspector Norman Shelley Lay inspector Bill Stoneham Team inspector Malcolm MacGregor Team inspector

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Team members

Penta International Upperton Avenue Eastbourne BN21 3YB

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Upper Wharfedale School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11

Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave in Year 11 and attain high standards at GCSE. The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are very good. Careers education and work experience opportunities are very good. The very good relationships with parents support pupils’ achievements.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 12

The statutory curriculum for ICT is not met. Monitoring of pupils’ progress, marking of their work and reporting their achievements to parents. The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 could be broader.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Upper Wharfedale is a mixed, 11-16, secondary modern school. It is much smaller than average, with 285 pupils on roll. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. There are no pupils with English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils designated as having special educational needs or statements of need are above average. On balance, the attainment of pupils when they enter the school is below average, as the range of pupils’ previous attainment is narrow, with few pupils at either end of the spectrum, particularly the higher. Over half of the pupils travel considerable distances to attend the school, as parents recognise it as a place that will give them success and look after them.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that is very effective at ensuring that pupils achieve very well by the time that they leave. GCSE standards are well above average. Pupils’ behaviour is very good and attendance is above average. Teaching is consistently good. The leadership of the headteacher has created an environment in which pupils learn to live in a community, whilst keeping some independence and where they aspire to do well. Management has generally supported high standards but has not resolved curriculum issues that must be dealt with. The cost of educating each pupil at the school is very high. Consequently, despite the high standards at GCSE, and because of the inadequacy of information communication technology (ICT), the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave in Year 11 and attain high standards at GCSE. • The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are very good. • Careers education and work experience opportunities are very good. • The very good relationships with parents support pupils’ achievements.

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What could be improved

• The statutory curriculum for ICT is not met. • Monitoring of pupils’ progress, marking of their work and reporting their achievements to parents. • The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1996. Since then standards at GCSE have risen faster than the national trend of improvement. Teaching is now good rather than satisfactory. Senior managers are using data better to monitor pupils’ progress, but this needs further development in many subjects. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is better. Arrangements for the performance management of teachers are now in place. A curriculum committee of governors has just been established. The curriculum provided for ICT, the use of computers, is still not meeting national requirements. Accommodation is currently being improved, but much more needs to be done beyond the scope of the school budget. On balance, improvement is good. Upper Wharfedale School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 16 year olds based on average point scores in GCSE.

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similar

schools well above average A 1998 1999 2000 2000 above average average B C GCSE examinations A C A A below average well below average D E

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similar

The relatively low number of pupils in each year means the performance of a handful of pupils can change the attainment statistics of the school for better or worse. However, over the past five years the school’s GCSE results have been improving at a better rate than the national rate of improvement. In 2000, GCSE results were well above average compared to all schools. All pupils got at least 5 passes at A*-G, placing the school in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally, when using this indicator. Results are also well above average if compared to similar secondary modern schools. Girls do better than boys, quite significantly in 3 of the last 5 years, though in 1998 boys did a little better than girls. Boys are a little lower in prior attainment when they enter the school and there are currently about twice as many boys as girls with special educational needs. English language and literature results were

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similar

excellent. Half of pupils were entered in French, a similar proportion to the national entry. These pupils achieved well above average results. Humanities entered almost all pupils and performed well above average. Other strong subjects were mathematics, science, design and technology and geography. Only art and design performed below average; all pupils were entered, compared to about a third nationally, and boys did significantly poorer than girls. The school’s statutory targets for 2000 were challenging, but well exceeded.

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similar

End of Year 9 test results were average compared to all schools and similar schools in 2000. The school trend is slightly below the national rate of improvement. In 2000, English test results and mathematics test results fell but science improved. English and mathematics results were average and science results above average, when compared to those in similar schools.

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similar

The standard of pupils’ work varies significantly but, on balance, is below average in Years 7, 8 and 9 and above average in Year 11. Pupils consolidate and broaden earlier learning in Key Stage 3 and are well prepared for the good progress they make between the end of Year 9 and the end of Year 11. Between starting and leaving school they achieve very well indeed and pupils with special educational needs make exceptional progress.

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similar

Pupils achieve poorly in ICT, the use of computers. Their standard of work is well below average. It is not monitored, adequately assessed or effectively reported on. Upper Wharfedale School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils like the school and work well in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils pay attention and do as asked. They are very responsible in corridors and around the school and require little supervision.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and teachers are very good. Opportunities to take responsibility are limited.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Lessons seen overall Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Twenty-six lessons were seen. Seventeen were good, five very good, three satisfactory and one unsatisfactory. Teachers plan lessons very well and make very good use of most easily available resources, for example the local environment, books and practical equipment. They make insufficient use of the computer resources that are available. Homework is set. Pupils say it is sufficient, a significant minority of parents say it is not. Limited inspection evidence suggests it is inconsistent in years 7, 8 and 9 and that set ‘to finish classwork off’ does not extend the knowledge and understanding of faster pupils. Whilst teachers know their pupils well and engage in much informal assessment and cajoling to help them improve their work, the marking of pupils’ written work is generally too superficial.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Literacy is taught adequately and well catered for in Year 7 English. Other subjects identify key words and science shows good practice in spelling tests and some reading out loud. Opportunities are missed and improving spelling is only one area. Pupils do not read more research often enough. The 20 minutes form time in the morning is not always productive. Numeracy is dealt with informally in subjects where opportunities arise. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practice mental mathematics.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Flexible setting arrangements and generous staffing means classes can be arranged to meet the needs of most pupils as well as possible and pupils respond by working hard. The teaching of ICT skills, to all pupils, is a significant weakness. Though some teaching, in art and English, for example touches on some areas of ICT expertise, computers are not used as much as they should be.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Teaching meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs very well. Support teachers and assistants are used well and pupils in their care learn very well. Upper Wharfedale School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Unsatisfactory. The statutory requirements for ICT are not met in any years. Choices of courses in Key Stage 4 are narrow. Careers education is very good. Extra –curricular activities are best in sport; the Duke of Edinburgh Award is very well supported, but there are few opportunities for music or drama. The time available for lessons is 1 hour 40 minutes short of the 25 hours provided in most secondary schools.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. There are plenty of support staff in the classroom and withdrawal into small groups available where appropriate. Pupils do very well at GCSE.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. Child protection is good. Health and safety is satisfactory but no review has been carried out recently. In many subjects academic monitoring is weak.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership is very good in maintaining high GCSE standards. Management has not resolved curriculum weaknesses that have existed since the time of the last report.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body has changed substantially since the time of the last inspection. They are fully aware of their responsibilities and take them seriously. They need to grasp the nettle of outstanding curriculum improvements still required over four years since the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses, has built on academic strengths, but has yet to take effective action to address weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Income is spent and not hoarded. The effectiveness of substantial spending is evaluated, though the relative costs of staffing, resources and accommodation are balanced differently than in most schools. Best Value questions of compare, challenge, contrast and compete, are asked, but not rigorously enough. Accommodation and learning resources are unsatisfactory, affecting ICT and PE adversely. Upper Wharfedale School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Academic standards and progress pupils’ make • High expectations • Behaviour • Teaching • Management • Information about progress pupils make • Homework • The range of extra-curricular activities

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team broadly agrees with parents, though with some reservations. The information in the annual reports to parents about their child’s progress lacks sufficient comment about academic strengths and weaknesses and what must be done, if necessary, to improve the balance. Homework is inconsistent in usefulness and this contributes to parents’ perceptions that insufficient is set, particularly in Key Stage 3. Pupils’ perceptions are a little different; they think they get enough homework. Apart from sport, which is well represented, the range of extra-curricular activities is narrow. However, the small size of the school means there is a reduced number of staff available to provide a wide range of activities. Upper Wharfedale School - 11

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GCSE

1. As described in Part A, attainment at the end of Year 11 is well above average compared to all schools nationally and to similar secondary modern schools.

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GCSE

2. On balance, pupils enter the school with below average attainment. There is a range above and below average, though very few with high attainment at this stage of their school life. Many have ‘failed’ entry examinations for selective schools and their confidence is not as it possibly should be. This school picks them up, consolidates their earlier learning and fills in some of the gaps. By not setting any artificial limit on their expected performance at age 16, pupils aspire to do very well indeed and come out well above average compared to the picture across all schools. This has been consistent over a number of years and results are improving. It should not be concluded that results will rise year on year, as this is a small school and the performance of a handful of pupils can alter statistics significantly.

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The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are very good

3. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards the school. They are enthusiastic about all that they do and generally try hard with their studies. Pupils use their time constructively; their attendance is above average; instances of unauthorised absence are low. Almost without exception, pupils arrive in good time for the start of school; their level of attendance and punctuality indicate a keenness to be in school.

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The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are very good

4. Pupils’ conduct is very orderly and relationships between them and adults are very relaxed and mutually respectful. Pupils’ behaviour in and out of lessons is almost always very good. Some pupils, in Year 7, did not measure up to the school’s expectations during their first term. They have responded very well to the constructive management strategies applied to them; they now exercise self-discipline much more effectively.

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The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are very good

5. Pupils are responsibly disposed and make good progress toward becoming mature young adults. They willingly accept opportunities for formal responsibility, for example house and team captains, but these are not extensive.

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Careers education and work experience opportunities are very good

6. The quality of careers education and guidance is very good. A well-planned programme exists that is delivered by an enthusiastic team of tutors. The programme has some enterprising aspects, commencing in Year 8 when pupils participate in a series of decision-making simulations that relate desired life styles to various occupations and potential salaries. In Year 9, pupils and parents are invited to careers evenings and preparatory work begins on post-16 pathways. The main thrust to the programme commences in Year 10 and runs through to Year 11. Careers education and guidance is delivered as part of the school’s personal and social education provision. During Year 10 pupils undertake a very well planned two-week work experience placement. Another strong aspect of the programme in Year 10 is a special day dedicated to all pupils working in small groups having to produce working models using Lego. The preparation for this activity is

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Careers education and work experience opportunities are very good

thorough with coverage of job roles, health and safety and the role of trade unions. During the exercise, pupils undertake a variety of roles. There are a number of small production teams, but other pupils fulfil other roles such as members of the media who are reporting on Upper Wharfedale School - 12 the exercise. This simulation boosts knowledge of various types of occupations as well as refining pupils’ skills in planning, implementation and evaluation. Much of Year 11 is devoted to informing pupils about opportunities post-16. Again, enterprising methods are utilised to ensure that the pupils are offered good quality advice in interesting ways. The school works in association with the local Rotary Club and local firms. This specialist input means that the pupils’ CVs, for example, are scrutinised by professionals. Representatives of local industry and commerce, including members of the governing body, interview all pupils and these

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Careers education and work experience opportunities are very good

interviews are based on letters of application written by the pupils. The pupils benefit from the high quality advice offered and the process also serves to boost their confidence. The careers education and guidance programme offered has many strong and interesting facets. It is successful in informing pupils of the choices open to them post-16, but it also does much to improve their presentational skills and confidence.

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The very good relationships with parents support pupils’ achievements

7. Parents have very positive views of the school. The school has developed a learning environment and a reputation that appeals to parents and consequently many want their children to attend the school. They are pleased with the quality of education, the general support provided and particularly the results achieved in examinations. The few concerns expressed by parents relate to the amount of homework and the choice of extra curricular activities. The partnership between school and parents is very effective. The quality of support given to the school is very good and fosters the rapport between teachers and pupils. The joint high expectations of parents and teachers encourage pupils to do well, and they do.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

8. The school does not provide curriculum entitlement for all pupils either at Key Stage 3 or Key Stage 4 and therefore statutory requirements are not met.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

9. The school has adopted a cross-curricular model for the delivery of ICT. However, there is no planned whole school delivery of the ICT programmes of study at either Key Stage 3 or Key Stage 4. There are some planned opportunities for pupils to make use of computers. In French for example, they make use of word processing to support their work, and in art and design at Key Stage 4, pupils make use of a range of art and design software in their work.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

10. There is very little extra-curricular use of ICT before or after school or during lunchtime. The way of saving work to the fileserver is naive and open to misuse or accidental deletion. There are no individual passwords to allow secure access by all pupils. Pupils do not have e-mail addresses and neither do all teachers. The use of the internet is in its infancy. There is no accredited course available at Key Stage 4, for example a GCSE or GNVQ, that pupils can carry to their further education provider or prospective employer.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

11. The lack of curriculum provision is linked to poor resources. The number of good computers per pupil is at best half the national average; there is only one set of sensing equipment for science; there is no computer assisted machining capability in design and technology and little control capability. Learning and teaching software is limited. The ‘temporary’ classrooms, detached from the main buildings are considered too expensive to include in any future school networking. Whole school networks have been common in secondary schools for 10 years. They are increasingly standard in most schools. It is also good practice for a school to have an intranet that provides access for pupils and teachers to a wide range of resources that may be purchased, taken from the internet, or created within Upper Wharfedale School - 13 school. It is not unusual for schools to have their own web site that celebrates pupils’ work to

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

a wide audience and allows pupils to consider how best to present their school in this increasingly common media.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

12. There has been little staff training and teachers lack confidence in the use of ICT. Some teachers have been very slow to take up training or to implement Curriculum 2000 within their subject areas. This is evident from the scrutiny of pupils’ work that indicates very little use of ICT by pupils to support their learning across the subjects of the curriculum.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

13. Monitoring and assessment of ICT is insecure and does not enable accurate reporting to parents of pupils’ levels and progress. There is no mention of pupils’ achievements in ICT in any written annual reports to parents about pupils’ achievements. This is a statutory breach of requirements.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

14. Pupils who may have expertise in the use of computers, due to work they do at home, are insufficiently recognised and not used as peer mentors for other pupils who need help. This is increasingly common and would improve opportunities for pupils to show responsibility in this school.

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The statutory curriculum for Information Communication Technology is not met

15. It is also becoming increasingly common for pupils to communicate with their schools using e-mail. They send work to teachers by it and teachers may mark it and send it back. Whilst this might be a little ‘over the top’ within the confines of a small school like this, it seems an obvious technology to use between often distant homes and school. Pupils could continue with some of their studies if confined to home by illness or weather.

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achievements to parents

16. This is a small school and teachers do know their pupils well. Consequently, monitoring of pupils’ progress is more easily ‘carried’ by individual teachers and discussed between them. However, there is a range of practice and a need to be a little more formal, so that information about progress can be more easily measured and communicated to others. This extends to ensuring that good practice is adopted in all marking and to annual academic reports to parents, which should be more informative.

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achievements to parents

17. There is increasingly good practice, in monitoring pupils’ progress, within the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, though all take a different approach. In Year 7, the head of English teaches all pupils and there is effective co-operation between her and the special educational needs co-ordinator. Consequently there is a very significant amount of monitoring of pupils and their individual needs, particularly for reading, are well met. Assessment at the end of Year 7 leads to class re-grouping and appropriately high expectations are set for each. Regular assessment leads to clear objectives for pupils’ learning throughout Key Stage 3. In Years 10 and 11 there is flexibility in English class groups. This means they can be changed to better meet the needs of pupils; the more able can be taken more rapidly forward, weaker candidates appropriately supported. Results of the Year 10 examination are tracked back to end of Year 9 test results and to the promise

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achievements to parents

pupils showed when they entered the school. This has supported successful work in promoting more pupils to A* - C grade GCSE performance.

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achievements to parents

18. In mathematics, the analysis of data from end of Year 9 test results is showing relationships between pupils’ performance then and their eventual outcomes at GCSE. Analysis of data is also beginning to be used as a predictive tool, so that any underachievement by pupils in Year 10 and 11 can be identified early and appropriate action taken. In science, regular evaluation sheets are provided to pupils in all years, so they are Upper Wharfedale School - 14 better informed about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. Close attention is also paid to end of Year 9 test results. These are correlated with regular, graded, end of topic tests throughout Years 10 and 11. Consequently, underachievement can be picked up again whilst there is still time to intervene. The regular evaluation sheets in pupils’ science books are also very good practice and help pupils improve their work.

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achievements to parents

19. The good practice, outlined above, provides a firm foundation for moving forward and but has not yet been extended across all subject areas.

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achievements to parents

20. A scrutiny of pupils’ written work shows that teachers give ticks and marks; some spelling errors are corrected but many more are ignored; short comments are sometimes added. The comments do not discriminate effectively between pupils’ effort and attainment. For example, a graph might receive the comment “ very good work” that might be true, regarding the effort or improvement since earlier work. However, the standard of the graph might be well below average. “Very good effort”, followed by a few key points of how to improve the work further, would be more appropriate, helpful to raising pupils’ standards and inform them better.

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achievements to parents

21. The written reports to parents do not indicate well enough exactly what a child knows, understands and can do, or what they do not. Consequently, except for asking their children to “complete homework”, “be neater” or “ make more effort”, parents do not know how they might help. Though some of this can be discussed at well-attended parents’ evenings, more tightly focussed reports would possibly make them more fruitful too.

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The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow

22. The range of subjects studied by pupils from Year 10 broadly covers requirements. Requirements for ICT are not met and this is discussed above. Almost all pupils take the humanities GCSE and this meets requirements for religious education. The few that do not follow the humanities course, take an alternative work related curriculum.

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The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow

23. Although it has established itself as an academically successful school, there has been no major review of how to broaden the curriculum so that it meets the needs and ambitions of all pupils.

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The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow

24. The school has recognised that it offers few opportunities for drama and is currently seeking a teacher who can develop it in the school. It is also considering offering a GCSE in expressive arts as an alternative to art and design. Currently all pupils take art and design, compared to typically a third in most schools. If performing arts is offered, it will go some way to providing better opportunities for music. Currently it is difficult to offer a GCSE in music to the few pupils who choose it. Many schools provide for drama through extra-curricular activities and offer GCSE music, to small numbers, as an ‘extra’ outside of the normal school timetable.

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The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow

25. Some kind of accreditation in ICT, for all pupils, would both enable the school to meet national requirements and broaden curriculum opportunities for pupils. This is discussed earlier in the report.

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The choice of subjects taken in Key Stage 4 is too narrow

26. The school does not offer several other options that often prove popular and successful elsewhere. These include GCSE physical education. This provides academic rigour alongside an interest and participation in sports. Others are vocational and include Travel and Tourism GNVQ. This is available at a local further education college when pupils have left school. If they followed a Part 1 GNVQ at school they could then progress to Intermediate and Advanced. Upper Wharfedale School - 15 27. Offering a broader range of options at Key Stage 4 needs the correct resources and teacher training in place and sufficient numbers of pupils to make courses viable. Each cohort of pupils in this school is small, but different. Their needs may change from year to year, but they are unlikely to be met by a curriculum that is thin and remains static. Upper Wharfedale School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. To raise the standard of pupils’ work further and to improve the quality of their education the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Ensure the statutory curriculum for ICT is met by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring pupil and teacher files are stored logically on the network; • ensuring pupil and staff work files are protected by an appropriate level of security; • training pupils as computer mentors, so that they can help support and manage others less capable than themselves; • making the current computer room available to pupils out of lesson time; • ensuring the computer experiences of pupils are rigorously monitored and recorded; • reporting accurately about the attainment of pupils in ICT at the end of Years 9 and 11; • increasing the number of computers; • increasing access to the internet significantly; • providing adequate time for teaching appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding about computers in all years; • operating a school network and intranet as soon as possible; • moving forward rapidly in training all teachers in the appropriate use of computers; • ensuring the appropriate use of ICT is written into all schemes of work;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• purchasing appropriate ancillary equipment and software.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the monitoring of pupils’ progress, marking of their work and reporting of their achievements to parents by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Making more consistent use of information about pupils’ attainment (Year 6 test results, results of tests given on entry to the school, end of Year 9 tests) to predict future performance and set appropriate academic targets that can be monitored;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure the marking of all books is regular, useful, recognises the difference between effort and attainment, and supports academic targets;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve annual academic reports to parents, so that they clearly state what a pupil knows, understands and can do, what they cannot do, and explain what a pupil must do to significantly improve.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Increase the choice of subjects available in Key Stage 4 by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing opportunities for accredited courses in ICT;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• taking forward proposals for expressive arts as an alternative to art and design;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing available courses combining RE, PSHE and citizenship;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• considering accredited vocational courses. Upper Wharfedale School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Y7 – Y11 Sixth form

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 284 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 9 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Y7 – Y11 Sixth form

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 8 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 50 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

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Attendance

National comparative data 7.7 National comparative data 1.1

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Upper Wharfedale School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2000 28 28 56

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 12 22 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 22 19 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 61 (82) 73 (76) 70 (65) at NC level 5 or above National 63 (63) 65 (62) 59 (55)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 13 (42) 38 (42) 29 (10) at NC level 6 or above National 28 (28) 42 (38) 30 (23)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 21 22 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 22 19 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 77 (77) 73 (74) 79 (81) at NC level 5 or above National 64 (64) 66 (64) 62 (60)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 39 (45) 41 (39) 45 (11) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (31) 39 (37) 29 (28)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of the latest reporting year 2000 20 32 52

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

GCSE results 5 or more grades A* to C 5 or more grades A*-G 1 or more grades A*-G

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Boys 10 20 20 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 25 32 32

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentage of pupils achieving School 67 (48) 100 (100) 100 (100) the standard specified National 47.4 (46.6) 90.6 (90.9) 95.6 (95.8)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Average point score School 45.6 (39.4) Upper Wharfedale School - 19 per pupil National 38.4 (38.0)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y11

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 20.4 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 13.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7 – Y11 Total income 859599

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 12 Total expenditure 874008

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 222 Expenditure per pupil 3067

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 35155

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y11 Balance carried forward to next year 20746 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 74.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Key Stage 4 16.1 Upper Wharfedale School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 47 0 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 33 60 2 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 47 3 14 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 37 1 7 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 23 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 19 0 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 53 39 0 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 66 32 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 36 1 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 47 7 15 1

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents at the meeting commented on the inadequacies of the ‘temporary’ detached classrooms and felt concern for teachers who had to work in them.

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